Bacon Tomato Fettucine Alfredo

By Red Gold Tomatoes

If you're wanting comforting, filling, and delicious, this is one that will check all of those boxes and be a lovely main dish for Mother's Day. From my friends at Red Gold Tomatoes, this recipe is a twist on classic Fettucine Alfredo--adding awarding-winning tomatoes, an ingredient you probably didn't realize it needed! Then bacon and broccoli make everything good AND healthy!! Add a nice loaf of Italian or French bread, and this is a made-for-mom worthy meal!

Get this recipe and more from their website HERE.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound (16 ounce) box fettuccine

• 4-6 slices slices bacon, cooked and roughly chopped

• 2 cups fresh broccoli florets

• 1/2 stick butter

• 1/2 cup whipping cream

• 1/2 cup whole milk

• 2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese,

• Salt and black pepper to taste

• 2 cans Red Gold Diced Tomatoes with Basil, Garlic & Oregano 14.5 oz, drained

• Chopped fresh parsley or basil for garnish (optional)

• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese for garnish (optional)

• Freshly grated black pepper for garnish (optional)

Directions:

In a medium or large saucepan, cook fettuccine according to the directions on the package

Add a little water to a small sauce pan, heat to a boil, and add broccoli; cook broccoli with lid on for about 3 minutes. Remove from heat, drain water and if more tenderness is desired, leave lid on and let broccoli continue to cook off the heat. Transfer broccoli from hot pan into a smaller dish, run cold water over broccoli to stop the cooking, and drain. Set aside.

In a large skillet with high walls, melt the butter on medium heat. Pour in the cream and milk cook until heated through, but do not let boil. Season generously with salt and freshly grated black pepper. Add 1/2 of the the cheese and stir with a whisk until melted and smooth. Repeat with the other half of the cheese.

When sauce is smooth, add the bacon, broccoli and diced tomatoes, stirring after each ingredient is added and before the next one. Allow to heat through.

Add 1/2 of the cooked pasta to the sauce and fold gently to combine. Repeat for the remaining pasta. Garnish with parsley or fresh basil, freshly grated parmesan, and freshly grated black pepper and serve while hot.

Nan's Notes: Red Gold suggests 2 cups of chicken as a tasty alternative--I agree! Or cooked shrimp would be delicious too. Make sure to season both before adding your choice. Also, be sure to use a large, high-walled skillet, a large sauce pan, or dutch over when making your Alfredo sauce...this recipes makes a lot and you want to make sure you have enough space for everything to incorporate and to fold the fettucine in without stirring too hard. Bacon tip--I like to bake my bacon. It's less messy and you can be doing other things while it bakes, plus that fried bacon smell doesn't permeate your house!